1.   Many said they were bewildered by her willingness to engage in a public disagreement with the president and to enter the thorny topic of Puerto Rican politics.

2.   They are easily outdated and often skim the surface of thorny topics.

3.   When NFL owners convened early Tuesday morning to discuss realignment, a thorny topic that some expected to generate shouting matches, the room was surprisingly calm.

4.   Black congressional leaders are accusing the Bush administration of shying away from an upcoming world conference on racism that may deal with the thorny topic of reparations for slavery.

5.   Improving ties with Washington remains a thorny topic in Iran, dividing hard-liners and liberals in the Islamic government.